Optical rotary joint in coiled tubing applications

Abstract

Systems and methods regarding a reel, downhole tool, control system, and rotary joint. The reel is disposed at a wellsite surface and containing coiled tubing. A first optical conductor is carried with the coiled tubing. The downhole tool is connected to the coiled tubing for conveyance within the wellbore via the coiled tubing. The control system is disposed at the wellsite surface. The rotary joint is disposed in association with the reel and transmits optical communications between the control system and at least one of the downhole tool and the coiled tubing disposed within the wellbore, via at least the first optical conductor and a second optical conductor extending at least partially between the rotary joint and the control system.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]Wells are generally drilled into a land surface or ocean bed to recover natural deposits of oil and gas, as well as other natural resources that are trapped in geological formations in the Earth's crust. Wellbores may be drilled along a trajectory to reach one or more subterranean rock formations containing the hydrocarbons and other downhole fluids. Information about the subsurface formations and formation fluid, such as measurements of the formation pressure, formation permeability, and recovery of formation fluid samples, may be utilized to increase well production and to predict the economic value, the production capacity, and the production lifetime of a subsurface formation. Downhole tools, such as formation testers, may perform evaluations in real-time during sampling of the formation fluid.[0002]In working with deeper and more complex wellbores, it becomes more likely that downhole tools, tool strings, and / or other downhole apparatus may inc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present patent is about a system and method for transmitting optical signals in a wellbore. The system includes a reel containing coiled tubing and a control system at the surface of the wellbore. A rotary joint is used to transmit the optical signals between the control system and the portion of the coiled tubing in the wellbore. The optical conductors are placed within the coiled tubing to allow for communication with the downhole tool. The method involves rotating the reel to convey the coiled tubing in the wellbore and transmitting the optical signals through the rotary joint and conductors. The technology allows for more efficient and reliable communication in the wellbore, improving wellbore construction and monitoring.

Problems solved by technology

In working with deeper and more complex wellbores, it becomes more likely that downhole tools, tool strings, and / or other downhole apparatus may include numerous testing, navigation, and / or communication tools, resulting in increasingly longer tool strings that consume increasingly larger quantities of electrical power to drive or otherwise energize various internal components of such downhole apparatus.

Furthermore, these numerous downhole apparatus collectively generate large volumes of information, utilizing large data bandwidths to communicate the information to the wellsite surface.

Providing electrical power to and communicating with downhole tools conveyed into a wellbore via coiled tubing is complicated by the rotational motion of the coiled tubing reel, which limits the number and types of electrical power and / or data pathways available between the downhole tools and the wellsite surface.

Electrical pathways support transfer of electrical power to the downhole tools, but limit data transfer bandwidth between the downhole tools and the wellsite surface.

Electrical power may also be supplied to the downhole tools with batteries, which increase the cost and limit operating time of the downhole tools.

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